BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Provincial Health Office conducted a one-day symposium on Mental Health and Wellness at the Multi-Purpose Hall on October 17, 2023.
The symposium was attended by employees from the different offices of the provincial government.
According to Mental Health Coordinator psychologist Eleanor B. Batnag, the symposium is one of the activities lined up in celebration of the Mental Health Month, National Mental Health Week, and World Mental Health Day that comes with a theme, “Mental Health is a Universal Right.” She said that the theme highlights the right of all people, regardless of their backgrounds and other differences, to have access to good quality health care and be protected from anything that may risk their mental wellbeing.
In addition, Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr., in his opening message, expressed his full support in acknowledging that mental health has a direct impact on the work performance of an employee.
“As a government employee, this is very important because it spells out how we deal with our clients and how we deal with our co-employees. In many ways, it helps us improve our performance because it helps employees flourish in their roles, manage their stress, and boost their confidence. It finds importance when employees face situations that are not normal. Ultimately, it allows each employee to reach its highest potential so that he could be of help to his clients at the highest degree possible,” the Governor said.
“It is then imperative that we openly talk about mental health. We should talk about it at home, in any public spaces or gathering, and in our offices. We should help each other understand it, how to attain it, and how to sustain it in our workplace,” the Governor added.
Meanwhile, the invited resource speaker for the symposium was Dr. Karen N. Balanza, a psychiatrist and currently the Chief Health Program Officer of the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of Mountain Province. She gave a discussion on the topic entitled, “Mental Health in the Workplace,” where she defined what is mental health and identified some mental health conditions and illnesses that are commonly encountered by employees and tips on how to overcome each illness or condition.
In addition, Balanza talked about bullying in the workplace and how to promote mental well-being, among others.
Furthermore, medical specialist Judith Pagaduan emphasized in her closing remarks that mental health is as imperative as physical health. By MP Press Release
